Vatican property where cardinals enjoyed affordable rooms to become public hotel

The Vatican has decided to relinquish its long-standing use of the Domus Paul VI, a traditional guest house in central Rome that has for decades provided modestly priced accommodation for cardinals, bishops and priests, and will instead see the property converted into a four-star hotel.

The 15th-century building will be leased to a private company for a period of 30 years. In return, the Holy See is expected to receive around five million euros annually, according to a report published by the Rome-based daily Il Messaggero.

Vatican officials say the decision was driven primarily by financial considerations. Extensive renovation work would have been required to keep the building in use as an ecclesiastical residence, with costs estimated at up to €60 million —an amount the Vatican says it cannot afford.

Opting for a long-term lease was therefore deemed the only viable solution. The income generated will be used to secure accommodation for clergy in other church-owned properties, while staff currently employed at the Domus will be reassigned elsewhere.

The move directly affects several members of the clergy who have been living at the guest house on a permanent basis, including two cardinals, all of whom have been asked to vacate the premises and seek alternative housing. In a letter sent earlier this year, Cardinal Paul Tscherring, along with Monsignors Daniel Estivil and Marco Melino, appealed to Pope Leo XIV to preserve the Domus in its original role as a church residence. The pope, however, responded that the plan had already been approved by his predecessor, Pope Francis, and that no realistic alternative was available.

Located just steps away from Piazza Navona in the historic heart of Rome, the Domus Paul VI is widely known beyond ecclesiastical circles. It gained particular attention in 2013, shortly after Pope Francis’ election, when the pontiff appeared in person at the reception desk to pay his bill by credit card—an image that was circulated globally and became emblematic of his emphasis on humility and personal responsibility.

The planned conversion of the guest house into a commercial hotel has sparked debate within church circles and beyond, especially given that Pope Francis repeatedly criticized the use of church-owned properties for profit-driven purposes. Vatican officials, however, maintain that economic sustainability was the decisive factor behind the move, arguing that the long-term financial stability of the Holy See must take precedence over tradition in this case.

By Nazrin Sadigova